Laws and governments are not the only forces impacting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people around the world. Society, culture, and religion can also strongly impact the well-​being of LGBTI people. Religion is often given as a justification for discrimination and mistreatment of LGBTI people. Those who persecute LGBTI people also accuse them of violating long-​held cultural traditions. Social change is often more difficult to achieve than legal change.
There are religious leaders in many faiths who consider LGBTI identity sinful and exclude and stigmatize LGBTI people from their faith communities. Many of these leaders encourage psychologically​—​and sometimes physically​—​harmful “reparative therapy” practices, support relatives who reject their LGBTI family members, and even call for torture and execution of LGBTI people.

An appeals court in Kazakhstan on September 3 upheld a decision denying Feminita, a national feminist initiative, registration as a nongovernmental organization (NGO). The group’s focus includes the rights of lesbian, bisexual,…

The president of the Senate Constitution Commission, Felipe Harboe (PPD), postponed the vote on the idea of ​​legislating for equal marriage , arguing that he should listen to various organizations. The Movilh…

The first same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland are set to take place on Valentine's Day next year. Campaigners for marriage equality say British government ministers have confirmed same-sex marriage will be legal…

Conservative Christians and feminist campaigners may seem unlikely bedfellows - but the two groups have found common cause when it comes to blocking transgender rights in Australia. Both argue that trans women…